Rumble ends on six WAFL premierships but Subiaco far from done Thursday, October 1, 2015 - 12:21 PM - by Chris Pike

DARREN Rumble's remarkable WAFL career at Subiaco came to an end in Sunday's Grand Final win as he celebrated a sixth premiership while another man in just his ninth league match got to taste his first after a long apprenticeship.

Rumble has made the decision to retire after winning his sixth premiership medal from seven grand finals and 229 matches with Subiaco while there were plenty of multiple and first-time premiership winners in between him and nine-game 22-year-old Craig Hoskins.

Captain Kyal Horsley became a dual premiership skipper and three-time premiership player while Wayde Twomey won his third WAFL flag, but his second with Subiaco after being part of the 2010 premiership at Swan Districts.

Brett Robinson was a teammate of Twomey's in that 2010 flag at Swans and now is a dual premiership player as well having made a successful move to join the Lions in 2015.

Then there is Scott Worthington, Chris Deluca, Matt Boland, Brett Mahoney, Chris Phelan, Lachlan Delahunty, Clancy Wheeler, Charles Le Fanu and Shane Yarran who are now dual premiership players having been there both 2014 and 2015 triumphs.

Hoskins was joined by Sam Menegola, Scott Hancock, Leigh Kitchin, Jordan Lockyer, Kyle Halligan, Hayden Kennedy, Aaron Heal and Michael Wood becoming premiership players for the first time.

Rumble will now retire with a career at Subiaco that began in 2003 and ever since 2004 he has been the mainstay of the defence amassing 229 matches in that time while not only playing in the six premierships and seven grand finals, but also representing Western Australia five times.

He finished on top of his game as well with an outstanding grand final performance teaming with Jordan Lockyer to keep West Perth's key forwards Michael Lourey and Nick Rodda to a combined one goal after they booted eight in the preliminary final.

The 31-year-old now just considers himself lucky to have been such a key part of Subiaco's most successful era that has seen him play in the premierships of 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014 and 2015.

"I'm done. It means everything and it's my last, so it does mean everything. I know I've won a couple or whatever before, but they are all different and all mean just as much so I'm still just trying to let it all sink in," Rumble said after the grand final.

"It's just great and I've been lucky to win six and now to be lucky enough to go out in this fairytale way, I just feel like I'm so lucky to have been part of it. It's hard to not think about winning six when everyone keeps writing about it and talking about it, but I've been a lucky man."

Subiaco had been the dominant team right throughout the 2015 season and had the grand final sewn up against West Perth not long into the third quarter, but Rumble was given no latitude by Jarrad Schofield and he believes that is exactly why the Lions are able to be so successful.

"By about halfway through that last quarter we knew we knew we were pretty well right, but I went to the bench and still copped a spray from Schoey about mucking around with the ball a bit so he was still on edge even though were 60-odd points up," he said.

"There's no reason for anyone to leave unless they get drafted or whatever. This group should stay together for a while so they are definitely a chance for more success in the future."

Rumble has spent his entire adult life as a player of the Subiaco Football Club and now six premierships later, he can't thank the club enough for the career he's been able to have.

"I'd just like to thank the footy club," Rumble said.

"It's been a pleasure to play for this club and we get a bit of stick for whatever reason, but the professionalism of the club and the boys is what makes us stand out. There's a reason we've been so successful and that's because we are that professional, and the culture of the club is brilliant."

At the other end of the scale, Hoskins only made his debut in in Round 16 this season and despite being a regular member of the team from that point on, he only played in the second semi-final win over West Perth after being a late inclusion.

He delivered with a 28-possession, 12-tackle performance that guaranteed his place in the grand final team and now to be a premiership player is a reward for his dedication having had to wait for his league debut for this season despite having first played in the reserves at Subiaco in 2011. 

"It's a bit of a blur and it's all gone pretty quick the last 10 weeks since I've come in. it has just been great and the boys in the midfield just get around me every week, and to be part of this now has been unbelievable," Hoskins said after the grand final.

"I'd definitely say that Phez, Hors, Sammy Menegola, Kitch and those guys have got around me every week. Even when you do something wrong, they get around you. It has just been an unbelievable. I grew up supporting Subi so to now achieve this it's unreal. I'll enjoy this one now and then we'll worry about trying to win another one next week."